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Forums > Home› Feedback› Feature Episodes, Events and PvE Content

Escort Shields very weak

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
edited February 2010 in Feature Episodes, Events and PvE Content
hi!

I dont know if I am the only to "complain" about this, but I think the shields on an escort vessel are a bit weak... I had Mk2 shields on the miranda class before I gor promoted. Then I took an escort vessel and put the same shields on it. Now I can barely survive three bird of prey... with the shields on the miranda class, this was almost easy going. But on the escort the shields are dropping very fast if I take hits.

Why is that?
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Arp wrote: »
    hi!

    I dont know if I am the only to "complain" about this, but I think the shields on an escort vessel are a bit weak... I had Mk2 shields on the miranda class before I gor promoted. Then I took an escort vessel and put the same shields on it. Now I can barely survive three bird of prey... with the shields on the miranda class, this was almost easy going. But on the escort the shields are dropping very fast if I take hits.

    Why is that?



    Well, presumably, the NPCs you're facing in your escort are tougher than the ones you're facing in your Miranda- hence why at your current level you can equip Mk 3 and Mk 4 shields (and should probably do so ASAP).

    Also- what engineer and science Bridge Officer powers are you using? You might want to look into having Jam Sensors on your science officer.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    I still dont have a science officer :D

    On the tactical I use the topredo high power power and on the engineer the emergency power to shields power. And I also use attack pattern alpha (which imho increases shields a bit) and of course shield batteries.

    Can I buy mk 4 shields somewhere for regular energy credits without all the badges?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Arp wrote: »
    Can I buy mk 4 shields somewhere for regular energy credits without all the badges?

    You can get the basic (white) ones off the exchange for rather cheap.

    Also, attack pattern alpha does nothing for shields- it does increase turn rate which lets you bring a fresh shield to bear more easily. And for the love all that is good and holy, get a science officer, teach it Jam Sensors.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Part of the reason why it seems so easy is that the missions and combat you're doing in your Miranda have had the difficulty toned way down. You get your T1 ship and your school days are over, basically.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    you'll be fighting stronger enemies and because your using an escort you'll have a lower shield capacity (even if its the same shield as before) then the Miranda. Also the tactics are completely different with an escort then it is for a light cruiser.

    Get a darn science officer as well :P you want all your BO stations active otherwise your essentially going into battle with only part of your ship
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Even then, the combat itself is generally scaled in difficulty to be challenging yet not all that difficult to solo, provided you're at the appropriate level. If you're more than about two levels below the intended level, be prepared to have your TRIBBLE handed to you, cuz that's probably what will happen. Especially when you start taking on Cardassians.

    It's a damn wonder the Cardassian Union never rolled over the Klingon Empire.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Arp wrote: »
    hi!

    I dont know if I am the only to "complain" about this, but I think the shields on an escort vessel are a bit weak... I had Mk2 shields on the miranda class before I gor promoted. Then I took an escort vessel and put the same shields on it. Now I can barely survive three bird of prey... with the shields on the miranda class, this was almost easy going. But on the escort the shields are dropping very fast if I take hits.

    Why is that?

    It's because Escort ships receive a shield HP penalty.

    For example if you get Paratrinic shields they offer 7500Hp on a Science ship, if you put them on a Saber you get closer to 4500 I think might be a bit less.

    It's to compensate for all the DPS you can do and tbh that's fair enough, Escorts are literally like fighter bombers in this game you can't take a beating at all but you can do some serious damage, you gotta work really hard to stay alive well you did prepatch lol
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    How do you make it to LT CMDR without having a science officer? Are you skipping a lot of the beginning missions or something? You should have officers for all three slots on the Miranda class before you hit Lt. Cmdr. That being said, I used all three ship types in the beta (mostly an escort); and decided to go to a science vessel on Live. You've got the highest shields of any three types, and a good turn rate. Granted, the turn rate isn't as high as escorts - but my escort was having a hard time of it in Pi Canis, and my science vessel just burned through those guys. Better DPS doesn't mean much if you're not around to fight. We've got less hull than cruisers, but at LC5, I just yesterday hit a couple of missions where my shields actually came close to failing (City on the Edge of Never final missions). And besides which, the cruiser I piloted just wallowed too much. I'd get one attempt at torpedoes in my cruiser, and it was all I could too to keep the broadsides up. The Science Team II skill is incredible for an instant regen of shields. As soon as I hit cmdr, I'll train my engineer BO in the hull buff skill (Engineering Team, I think) and that should solve any hull issues. Most fights I come out of it with shields nearly at full.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Yes escort shields are paper. My own opinion of them is not very good unfortunately. They seem however to be the most popular ship class in the game though thus far.

    I would say this though they are great ambush ships. Decloak fire get the hell out is the only advice I can give for you and use deception. Wait until your opponent is busy doing something else before striking.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Acidpunk wrote: »
    It's because Escort ships receive a shield HP penalty.

    For example if you get Paratrinic shields they offer 7500Hp on a Science ship, if you put them on a Saber you get closer to 4500 I think might be a bit less.

    It's to compensate for all the DPS you can do and tbh that's fair enough, Escorts are literally like fighter bombers in this game you can't take a beating at all but you can do some serious damage, you gotta work really hard to stay alive well you did prepatch lol

    Yes it seems like Science gets a 1000 point boost and escorts get a 1000 point handicap. Cruisers seem to get a small handicap not much though.
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